Here are the most & least expensive states for car insurance in 2018

Auto insurance used to be one of those bills that was generally a manageable expense that justified itself by offering you peace of mind and protection from the actions of others. While it may still be mostly manageable — and no doubt necessary — it is increasingly an expense paid with vexation.

That’s because car insurance rates are skyrocketing, particularly recently, according to a recent report from insurance search engine The Zebra. The findings, laid out in detail in the company’s State of Auto Insurance Report, reveal that auto insurance premiums have reached an all-time high and are up a whopping 20% from 2011.

There are multiple reasons for the rising rates, most of them totally out of the driver’s control. They include the expensive technology being built into vehicles these days and the higher frequency of accidents due to an increase in distracted motorists.

Whatever the reasons, though, the reality is that for the foreseeable future there is little relief for our wallets on the road ahead.

The average annual car insurance premium is $1,427, according to the report. The state with the highest rates is Michigan, the nation’s auto capital. The state with the lowest average rates? North Carolina. Here is a state-by-state breakdown of auto average insurance rates:

The Clark-approved way of finding affordable car insurance

Money expert Clark Howard says affordable insurance is out there— but it takes a lot of work to find it. Instead of using the internet, you may have to pick up the phone. “Comparison sites are really just lead generation services,” Clark says. “You have to shop individually with different insurers [by] calling them all.”